It’s the time of year when the cherry blossoms appear and so do the festivals, music, dance, and jubilant events of spring. This weekend in Vancouver you can attend a ceilidh, a comedy show, a concert, and an expo or two.

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend

Events that run for longer than three days in a row are highlighted in green.

Friday, March 16, 2018
CelticFest 2018 Ceilidh
Opera Gala Concert & Fundraiser
CreativFestival
Vancouver Art Gallery: FUSE: Transcendence/Destruction
Family Night in Cloverdale
Naked Goddess Productions Presents: A Beautiful View
Theatre UBC Presents: The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Music in the Morning: Adrian Anantawan, Violin
Gateway Theatre Presents: I Lost My Husband
First Impressions Theatre Presents: A Few Good Men
The After After Party at The Cultch
RealWheels Theatre Presents: Sequence
Vancouver International Dance Festival Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

When the JUNOS come to your town, you just know there’s going to be a lot of opportunities to enjoy some amazing Canadian music! Let’s Hear It BC is a free outdoor music festival happening at the Vancouver Art Gallery’s north plaza March 23 & March 24, 2018.

Let’s Hear It BC Free Outdoor Music Festival

Dear Rouge

Presented by CBC Vancouver and CBC Music, supported by Creative BC & The Province of British Columbia, the event will showcase top talent from various music scenes across BC and be hosted by CBC favourites Dan Burritt, Gloria Macarenko, Julie Nesrallah, Stephen Quinn, and Lien Yeung.

Where: Vancouver Art Gallery (North Plaza) 750 Hornby St
When: Friday, March 23, 2018 12:00pm to 9:00pm; Saturday, March 23, 2018 9:00am to 9:00pm

Festival performers include:

Find a full schedule of each day here »

Mob Bounce

Let’s Hear It BC will kick off on Friday with acts ranging from Victoria-based trio Fox Glove, to the emerging talents of Fintan O’Brien and Nimbus Battle of the Bands winner and Port Moody Secondary School student, Bukola. Later in the day attendees will enjoy different genres and diverse performers including hip hop from First Nations act Mob Bounce; hard-hitting, synth heavy alt-pop from powerful female-fueled Little Destroyer; and magnetic grooves from The Funk Hunters.

The Junior JUNOS presented with CBC Kids take over the stage for a morning of movin’ and groovin’ in the heart of the city on Saturday. Bring the whole family and put on your dancing shoes to see featured nominees for Children’s Album of the Year perform live.

Another highlight of the day will be a special performance by the MusiCounts StarBand at 3:00pm, accompanied by JUNO Award winners, Dear Rouge. This group is a unique multi-school wind orchestra featuring 65+ students from Vancouver-area schools, in honour of the MusiCounts Band Aid Program. The orchestra will be led by Mark Reid, Education Chair, 2018 JUNO Host Committee and 2013 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award recipient, and the event will hosted by CBC’s Grant Lawrence.

There will also be satellite events in Kelowna on March 21 and Victoria on March 22.

Follow Let’s Hear It (#LetsHearItBC) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information. The JUNO Awards will take place on Sunday, March 25, 2018 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

Dominion Bar + Kitchen (“Dominion”) is revolutionizing Surrey’s restaurant culture with a new social space located in the lobby of Civic Hotel, Autograph Collection, the first world-class hotel built in the area in over two decades.

Dominion Bar + Kitchen at Surrey Civic Plaza

With views that overlook Surrey Civic Plaza, a vibrant public square with immediate transit access and pedestrian walkways, Dominion Bar + Kitchen is expected to be the culinary destination for residents of and visitors to Surrey.

Dominion will draw inspiration from the idea of cultural unity to create a menu of ‘New Canadian’ cuisine that embraces inclusivity, share plates, and dishes influenced from diverse cultures across the region.

Signature dishes include the Bao Mac mini cheese burger in a Chinese-style open-side bun and the Jäger Chicken marinated in Jägermeister and served with German spaetzle noodle dumplings.

The menu doesn’t end with cuisine, it incorporates British Columbia’s two leading beverage craves: craft beer and VQA wine. Dominion’s craft beer selection focuses on local breweries across Metro Vancouver, such as Four Winds, Steel and Oak, and Parallel 49. The menu has local BC wine favourites, Burrowing Owl, Joie Farm, and Nichol Vineyard, from the Okanagan Valley. Dominion will also feature wine on tap, with a system that maintains wine freshness, minimizes oxidation, and prevents overheating.

Guests will be greeted by a ten foot, vibrant yellow portal door with custom Dominion ‘D’ shaped handles made by Vancouver-based fabricator, Birdman the Welder. Above the door, Dominion’s sign will be illuminated with blue LED backlighting.

The interior will be an eclectic mix of intricate industrial lighting, bold furniture, and striking colours. Custom Italian, red leather upholstered banquettes, are perfectly contrasted with a stunning custom-designed chandelier, Circle Grigio Don Gaeta Italian floor tile, and local art.

The feature display along the washroom corridor has three industrial photography images of the Surrey Steel Fabrication shop, captured by Brian Howell, an award winning photographer based in North Delta. Howell is known for contemporary photography that bring everyday images to life.

As someone who grew up in Surrey, and has seen the city evolve so much over the years, I’m excited to have a new social hub in my hometown, close to family. I look forward to hopping on the SkyTrain from Downtown Vancouver to check out the some craft cocktails, local beer, and New Canadian nibbles at Dominion.

Win a Gift Card

I have a $50 gift card to give away so that a lucky reader can check out Dominion when it opens its door at the end of March! Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Follow Dominion and Miss604 on Instagram (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win a $50 gift card for @DominionSurrey #DominionSurrey http://ow.ly/5BPL30iWEAc” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Follow Dominion on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for the latest updates.

Update The winner is Jenny!

Variety – The Children’s Charity of BC invites you to spend One Night in Havana this spring at an enchanting new gala. Two-time JUNO Award winner, and four-time Latin Grammy winner Alex Cuba and his band will be performing while you step into the old world glamour, where colours, music and culture will whisk you away for the evening.

One Night in Havana

When: Saturday, April 14, 2018 6:00pm to 11:30pm
Where: Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront Vancouver (1133 W Hastings St, Vancouver)
Tickets: Available online now for $250 ($225 for Variety BC members). VIP tickets are $500 and they include pre-Gala reception along with complimentary drinks, salsa lessons, a professional photo and a VIP pass for auction items.

In addition to his Latin Grammy and JUNO wins, Alex Cuba has also earned three Grammy nominations including just last month where he was up for “Best Latin Pop Album” for his latest release, Lo Único Constante.

“The evening is going to transport you to Havana and will be just mind-blowing,” said Jill Sinclair, “One Night in Havana” Committee Chair, Radio Host, Author and Business Coach. “We’re calling it the un-gala Gala as guests are encouraged to dress up in their chicest Cuban attire.”

Produced by The Social Concierge, the event will begin at 6:00 pm and will be hosted by Global BC’s Paul Haysom and Sonia Sunger, the popular news anchor team from Global News Morning. The evening will also include salsa dancers, rum carts, dominos, a multi-course dinner and both a live and a silent auction.

About Variety BC

Variety – the Children’s Charity steps in where health care ends, providing direct help to children with special needs in BC and the Yukon. For over 50 years Variety has ensured children have the support to reach their potential. Funding from Variety helps to cover costs for medical care and services, mobility equipment, specialized therapies and developmental programs not covered by private or public health plans.

Win Tickets!

I have a pair of tickets to give away to the One Night in Havana event supporting Variety BC. Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• and/or click below to post an entry on Twitter

[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win a pair of tickets to the #OneNightinHavana gala supporting @VarietyBC http://ow.ly/edMb30joAFk” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:00pm on Wednesday, April 11, 2018. UPDATE The winner is Kaleigh Nevin!

For more information, follow Variety BC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Miss604’s Rebecca Bollwitt is a proud member of the Board of Directors of Variety – The Children’s Charity of BC

The 24th annual Dining Out for Life (“DOFL”) fundraiser will take place on Thursday, March 22, 2018.

Dining Out for Life

From Whistler to White Rock and across the Lower Mainland, DOFL’s restaurant partners will donate 25% of their food sales in support of individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS and co-existing illnesses.

Over the past 24 years, DOFL has raised over $3.5 million, with all proceeds directly benefiting the programs and services provided free-of-charge by registered not-for-profit A Loving Spoonful. These include:

• An average of 100,000 meals per year delivered to individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Metro Vancouver.
• A Loving Spoonful Wellness Program, including nutritional counselling and meal planning
• A Loving Spoonful is often the main point of contact for services to our clients, who are often affected by multiple and co-existing illnesses such as cancer, Hep C, heart disease and mental illness

A Loving Spoonful is a volunteer-driven, non-partisan Society that provides free, nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS in Greater Vancouver. A Loving Spoonful is the constant support of over 250 adults and children living with HIV/AIDS throughout the Greater Vancouver area

From Burgoo and Cactus Club, to Maenam, Pourhouse, and Wildebeest – there are over 50 restaurant options. By patronizing a partner restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner on Thursday, March 22, 2018, you’ll be supporting people in need right here at home.

Follow Dining Out for Life on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook with the tag #VanDOFL for more information.